Responsibilities of Mental Health Professionals in Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse

Developed by Julia M. DiFilippo, Ph.D., Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W

Course content available in articles.

Fulfills:

PA requirements for child abuse reporting for all mental health professionals (initial license and renewal)

NY requirements for child abuse reporting for all mental health professionals

All other mental health professionals check with your licensing boards

Note: Some of the content in this course is also contained in the course Child Abuse Reporting: Clinical and Legal Issues

Assessing for child abuse and neglect and discerning whether to make a report to child and family services are among the most stressful responsibilities of mental health professionals. The decision can change the lives of the child and all family members, and it also can significantly impact social groups and communities. Many states require that mental health professionals and other mandatory reporters complete training on child abuse recognition and reporting upon initial issuance of their license and/or as a condition for license renewal. This introductory/intermediate course fulfills these requirements for mental health professionals.

The course consists of three parts, two articles and a video from a portion of the presentation Mandatory Reporting Through The Lens of Social Justice. Audio and text versions are available for all parts. Part 1 reviews the legal definitions of child abuse and neglect, the scope of the problem, risk and protective factors, adverse childhood experiences, prevention strategies, and recognition of signs and symptoms in both in-person and virtual settings. Part 2 delves into the roles of mental health professionals in the child welfare system, responsibilities as mandatory reporters, and what happens after a report has been made. Part 3 describes how race and income disproportionately impact people of color, along with strategies for reducing bias in decision-making related to child abuse and neglect.

Though not officially part of the course, supplementary information consists of the following materials of particular interest to mental health professionals who practice in New York and/or Pennsylvania: New York State and Pennsylvania laws related to child abuse reporting, the New York State Citizen Review Panels for Child Protective Services’ 2023 Annual Report and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ Child Protective Services 2022 Annual Report.

Educational Objectives

This course will teach the participant to

Recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect in in-person and virtual settings.
Understand the mental health professional’s role in the child welfare system and how reports are made, screened, and processed.
Describe strategies for reducing implicit bias as they relate to child abuse reporting and promoting racial and social justice.

Syllabus

Part One: Overview of Child Abuse and Neglect

Federal and state legal definitions of child abuse and neglect
- Physical abuse
- Neglect and abandonment
- Sexual abuse/exploitation
- Emotional abuse
- Parental substance abuse
Scope of the problem
Risk and protective factors
Prevention strategies related to adverse childhood experiences
Recognizing the signs
Conducting virtual assessments

Part Two: Advanced Issues in Identification, Response, Reporting, and Bias

Child welfare and mental health professionals’ role
Responding to direct child disclosures
Reporting child abuse and neglect
- Mandatory reporters and training requirements
- Other reporters
- Institutional policies
- Mandatory reporting standards
- Privilege and confidentiality
- Content of reports
- Special circumstances (military, tribal membership)
Understanding what happens after a report is made
- Initial screening procedures
- Coordination of investigating agencies
- Investigation procedures
Reducing bias in decision-making
- Explicit versus implicit bias
- Addressing implicit bias

Part Three: Mandated Reporting Through the Lens of Racial and Social Justice

Current state of disproportionate impacts of mandated reporting
- Socioeconomic status
- Community factors
- Racial disproportionality
- Quasi-criminalization
Combatting the roots of disproportionate impacts
Macro level
Mezzo level
Micro level
Framework for “just” (as in “justice”) reporting
Legal responsibility to report
Evaluating influence of personal lenses to reporting decisions
Ethical responsibilities for just practice when reports are and are not made

CAR102

September 10, 2024